Paul's Boutique

This whole thing was giving Hamilton and I couldn't figure out why until I saw a picture of the Beastie Boys. It was fun, but the theatricality of their annunciation read like off-off-broadway, so things made sense once I found out they were from New York. Lin Manuel-Miranda, give the kids credit for your sound!!! Liked the beats, enjoyed the playfulness of the whole thing, appreciated some of the songs (Johnny Ryall, The Sound of Science). However, there were times the whole thing felt a bit manic and inconsistent. Couldn't find ways it contributed to the album overall, though I had points in pretty much every song I really enjoyed. [["Surprise, bitch" EMMA ROBERTS GIF HERE]]

I found myself listening to more of the music in the samples than the BB themselves. And the rapping was similar across songs.

Brilliant! Just Brilliant! I grew up only really knowing Fight For Your Right and have never listened to a full album. I’ve been missing out.

I just received this album on vinyl for Christmas. If its not my favorite Beastie Boys albums its in a close battle Ill Communication. Along with that it is probably at the top of my favorite albums of all time. It hits the perfect mix of nostalgia and am album that always has something new to offer. The whole dynamic between the three and the use of samples overlayed is worth listening to and also fun. Unlike some albums that are important and or significant but difficult to get through this one is easy as pie.

Damn, this album ripped. Loved it!

woke up around 7am and immediately got onto listening to the record. it took me a couple of listens for the first few tracks before it starts to register in my sleepy brain. i must say, its a very fun and enjoyable album to listen to. love me a good cowbell always. when i heard high plains drifter, i am reminded of rage against the machine, which makes sense because beasties heavily influenced ratm sound, particularly i heard it in the way one of the beastie boys rap in a whine-y and high tone at the end of his lines, i remember a rage track with a similar style, it's cool. listening to older records makes me appreciate how art will inspire creation of new art, it's a wonderful cycle. i think it's one of the things that i will always find fascinating.

Hell yeah

It is soo good

Nie czuję tej muzy niestety. Ale sprawdzę pozostałe albumy grupy. :-)

What an amazing album. It was a masterpiece.

Oooooooooh no. This album annoys me to no end. I know it’s objectively good but I can’t stand The Beastie Boys outside of their hits. It did a lot for sampling and that little Ramones sample is my favorite part of the whole thing, but god, it annoys me, so I’m taking off a star because they’re obnoxious.

Paul’s Boutique sounds like three guys permanently stuck on “my name is ___ and I’m here to say,” stretched across an entire album and buried under clever samples as camouflage. The beats do all the work while the rapping proudly refuses to evolve beyond shouty, first-draft playground rhymes. What fans call “irony” just feels like commitment to being obnoxious on purpose. If this is punk energy, it’s punk that never learned a second chord. Proof that knowing hip-hop history isn’t the same as making enjoyable hip-hop.

Pretty much never listen to Beastie Boys which makes this so chill to listen to. One of the guys sounds like Mr. Meeseeks though, which is very distracting…

7.5/10 - Songs similar but good listen

I love this, though it won’t make it into a regular rotation for me. A lot of it has to do with high school nostalgia but also I love the exuberance. These songs make me want to bounce along with them. Favorites: Egg Man, Sounds of Science

Every sound is perfect. Creative and unheard of before it came out.

o que aconteceu com a música depois dos anos 60 é triste

Not really my style, I’ve heard a couple of songs by them and I didn’t really like them as much as other people do, it’s just to much screaming with some cool beats beneath, but now I had the chance to read and pay attention to the lyrics and I can appreciate some songs for what they are saying.

The whole album is killer I loved the whole thing!

Paul’s Boutique always has what you’re looking for.

It sounds like a fun party. If you don't like it - well, it's not a party you'd be invited to anyway. 5/5

Not doing it

Don’t mind it, I like the sound of music from this era.

Interesting mix and variety of samples used in this album. Really broadcasts the music genres popular at that time. Beastie Boys are always a fun listen to, this album would probably be better on a 2nd listen

Some of my all time favorite Beastie's tunes, but more filler nonsense songs than I remembered. Still a super fun listen.

Didn't like most of it, honestly. It ends better than it starts, the last few songs I liked.

It's never not the right time for the Beastie Boys.

DNF

I came in fully expecting to hate this album. Eighties rap, and considered their most “artistic” album? That’s a recipe for disaster. I was so very wrong, this album rocks! The musical production is great. It seems fully sample based but it still creates coherent and powerful song structures. The rapping is very strong and the songs have a lot of variety and flow. Great hip hop album four stars.

Liked the music, questionable lyrics in parts.

First thing I did when I finished this album was start it again immediately.

You really need whosampled.com open to appreciate the complexity of this record. Sonic Lego. Absolutely a must-hear.

Não é muito o meu estilo mas reconheço que é bom!!

Starting 2026 with an absolute classic. Some of the other sample-driven albums on this list have left me cold but this one just works throughout. The lyrics are still kind of juvenile but the rapping is much improved over Licensed to Ill, which had some downright embarrassing moments. Favorite tracks: Egg Man, The Sounds of Science, Hey Ladies, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun

No

Great record!!!! Love me some Beastie Boys! RIP MCA!

Priceless album

Didn’t realize the Eagles sample even existed on High Plains Drifter

Licenced to Ill on edelleen suosikkini. Eipä oo tullut hittibiisejä lukuunottamatta muuta tuotantoa kuunneltua. Tämäkään ei oikein pudonnut.

Great album

oldschoolowy hip-hop, nie wiem czy to mnie bardzo buja

Hmmm, this doesn't excite me. Quite the opposite.

Excellent album, I'd give it 4.5 if I could. Not my usual genre and vibe, but it has so much kinetic, playful momentum and creativity. Such density and variety of samples, yet they all feel purposeful.

This was great. The Beasties always have great flow. Add to that the impeccable production from the dust brothers and this is a real joy.

I enjoyed this album all the way through. the songs i do like are shake your rump, egg man, high plains drifter, the sounds of science, 2-minute rule, and hey ladies. the music had me hooked but i also feel like they sound the same so all the songs blend together in my head. overall, not bad.

Ok

liked shake your rump, egg man, the sounds of science, 3-minute rule, hey ladies, what comes around, get on the mic, stop that train favorite is shake your rump or hey ladies who doesnt like beastie boys..

Not for me

4/5

POWERFUL. Samples and chaos collide, bound together by indomitable groove. Lotta depth, lotta fun!

chaotic vocals, felt the urge to skip a few tracks, but after a couple of listens it started to grow on me. high energy!

I know it's a marvel of sampling genius and is jam-packed with allusions references and inside jokes--loads of fun--but I find it almost exhausting at times.

Has a pastiche effect, some of it successful, though some parts also just feel a little betwixt and between.

- un album éclecctique et expérimental mais avec des prods qui s’écoutent généralement assez bien malgré le poids des paroles - je réécouterais certaines chansons mais pas nécessairement l’album complet - meilleure chanson: 3 minute rule

An absolute masterpiece that marks the beginning of a stellar 4-album run for the Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication, Hello Nasty. While there is still some misogyny from License to Ill present here, it is not nearly as rampant. The Dust Brothers provide the music, and it is awe-inspiring; this album and De La Soul's Three Feet High and Rising set impossibly high standards for sampling that few albums have matched.

Famous album largely due to how much it sampled. Good to have on the list.

An interesting album. It really felt like a well rounded album. Cohesive, yet diverse. The Dust Brothers seem to be responsible for the best parts of it. The Beastie Boys bring a fun energy, but their lyricism didn't live up to the hype.

the ogs, i guess Would I listen again: No Deserves to be on this list: Yes 3.4

Piss off, obnoxious American shit

This album seems like it might have been an important milestone for popular music as a very accessible hip hop sound. I'd be interested to know the assessment of people who are really knowledgeable about the 21st century music that shares roots with the Beastie Boys. Were they important or just pop? I'm pretty clueless on this so just taking this album at face value - of its time and a fun sound.

I had real fun listening to this. You can really feel the synergy between the MCs, who work amazingly well together to deliver some really comedic stuff. And with great backing tracks, coupled with what I imagine was really innovative sampling for the time, it's safe to say that my rump was shook.

Mkay

Possibly the greatest use of samples in music history

Los chicos saben sobrellevar bases muy raras, sus timbres, ritmo y cadencia hacen el álbum muy entretenido. Está lleno de ambientación, bases cargadas pero con patrones fáciles de seguir. Merece más de una escucha para analizar bien las letras.

Actually a solid album, I was surprised

Gen X Apotheosis

Some bangers but it all started sounding the same towards the end of the album

Classic

Australia mention Admittedly got 3/4 way through but will keep listening and so far big fan of the beats sometimes the amounts/scan of lyrics was jarring but that seems like a me problem

Too unserious and all songs sound the same!!!!

I was enjoying but slightly got distracted a then 5-Piece Chicken Dinner brought me right back what a song!

This was fun!

Lots of fun! Copyright laws should allow everyone to sample everything. Nothing means nothing.

I really really dislike the Beastie Boys. But I have to admit, the sampling and grooves on this record are cool. And it is incredibly creative and well produced. The rapping and lyrics get quite annoying after 50 minutes, but it’s a cool record. I wish I could just hear the no vocals version of this record.

6/10

Garbage, not really fun at all and it’s fucking obnoxious. I’d rather listen to turtles fornicate for a month.

I can’t do the Beastie Boys, they just grate on me too much. Everything on this album slaps except for the Beastie Boys rapping, it does my head in.

Felt more like noise than anything else to me. It is not for me. Maybe if I hadn't listened to De La Soul yesterday I would feel differently but I don't believe so. I really didn't like it. It doesn't make sense to me. 1/5

You know I really wanted to like this album. I like many of their other records. But this one didn't hit.

3/10

Pretty much all of the Beatie Boys sounds the same

good

Definitely is good background music. Not really my vibe though.

Standouts Shake Your Rump Egg Man Hey Ladies Shadrach

Okay.

Some beastie boy songs are good on their own but this album doesn't have any of them and any more than 4 minutes of then in a row starts to get old. Lyrics aren't cleaver, voice is grating. I just don't think I really like the beastie boys.

A back to back of 90s New York hip-hop. From yesterday’s sublime with Nas, to today’s ridiculous with the Beastie Boys.

classic

Enjoying this more than I thought I would Don’t think I could pick a song out of it that I loved but all together that album was decent

i didn’t listen bc i didn’t like it lol

I have zero memory of this album coming out, probably because their label opted to promote Donny Osmond's new record instead. Back in those days I would've been dubious anyway, because I hated License to Ill. It'd be years before I heard all of Paul's Boutique, but I quickly understood how great it was. The production and craftsmanship with its myriad samples is pretty mind-blowing, and it's home to a handful of Beasties greats.

Traveled 960 miles in a car today from LA to Portland with a 4 year and 2 year old in back and this was by far the 4 year olds least favorite album. A lot of interesting sounds on here but yes got a point, the vocals are pretty repetitive and annoying and not a ton in the way of killer hooks. Annoying trumps clever every time.

A full decade ahead of its time. Everyone wanted another Licensed to Ill, but the Beastie Boys had other plans. It’s a flawless celebration of everything hip-hop can and should be—from the funkily weird samples and killer DJ work to the seamless mic-passing, all topped off with their signature comedy.

MILBB (Man I Love Beastie Boys). These guys really brought sampling to the forefront, and I love sampling! Beastie Boys albums are all about 3 white guys having a bunch of fun jumping around on a beat, and it's hard for anyone to hate that. It's not as good as Ill Communication, though.

I immediately did not like this album, it may have been my mood when I tried listening to it but this was a DNF for me.

No notes. Best Song: Shadrack Rating: 9/10 Stars: 5

Lots of bangers, lyrics more mature than the last album.

Fantastic dumb party music from start to finish. I love the Beastie Boys.

I only know the Beastie Boys from their singles I quite like their singles I did not like this

Bad. Some beats were good but the lyrics and flow ruin it. No standout songs. Two stars and not one because it’s not unlistenable but wow yeah not good

ok so didnt get a chance to listen to it much, but got some good beats!! not my particular taste, but nice as some background music

Yeah, this is just sick. I think I've only ever heard Shake Your Rump before. The texture! The production!

This is my favorite Beastie Boys album, the samples are my favorite part, the sound of science is one of the best hip hop songs of all time, when I first heard that Beatles sample I lost my mind it's so good. Amazing energy I feel so confident while listening to it and overall it's a great experience

Do love the bb

I will not speak on the production or historical significance of this album, as I am no expert, however I did not enjoy listening to this, unfortunately

Cool, not sure I am a massive fan of the whine voice however, but funky beat and first couple tracks are super cool

Love , loved the way the first song set up the album. Anticipation ooh. Was cut off short so will listen again

Onhan tää nyt klassikko, mut ei yllä ihan täysiin tähtiin. Beastie boysin taustabiitit on aina ollu tykkejä ja tätäkin levyä tullut luukuteltua aika paljon nuoruudessa

Ihan jeppiskamaa. Ei ollut tuttu levy, mutta kivasti svengasi työpäivän kylkeen!

Ei uppoo ei...

Muistin että tää ois jo kolmas biisti ja poissi mut ei ollutkaan. Tää on kyl räväkkää menoo ja täysiä tykitellään läpi levyn ilman turhaa hengähdystaukoo. Linja pitää paremmin kun siin toisessa mikä kuunneltiin joskus syssymmällä. Vähän myös paulin putiikista kantautuu punk-sävyjä ja sit anarkismi on yleisesti läsnä. Eli hyvää koohausta ja täynnä enertsii ilman batterii. On kyl muutenkin tuttu levy jo ennestään, että ehkä se vähän myös nostaa fiilaria. Tai sitten ei.

No ei tästäkään jäänyt oikein mitään käteen eikä mieleen. Kuuntelin kahteen kertaan tämänkin töissä duunien lomassa, mutta sillain puolihuolimattomasti kuunneltuna oli välillä vähän vaikeuksia hahmottaa että onko biisit vaihtuneet. Aika puuroa. En edes muista mitä annoin sille edelliselle Beastie Boysille, enkä todellakaan muista siltä levyltä Sabotagen lisäksi mitään muuta biisiä, joten en osaa sanoa oliko tämä parempaa vai huonompaa. Luultavasti jos huomenna minulle soitettaisiin levyn keskeltä joku biisi, niin en tajuaisi kuulleeni sitä tänään. Ykkösen ja kakkosen väliltä pohdin, mutta mennään joulun ajan kunniaksi kakkosella.

I raised three sons and listened to alot of Beasties. License to Ill is still my favorite, but this one keeps my toes tapping too. Nothing too serious, easy to play along.

since this is their second album, i first listened to License to Ill since i’ve never listened to any beastie boys album in full and only really know the big hits. my immediate impression is that the production on this one is way better. there’s more variety for sure, and for the most part it just sounds better. Egg Man is a favorite so far, the lyrics are silly but the jaws and psycho sampling is so cool especially at the end when they get layered on top of each other. - sorry the random fiddle interlude??? - overall, a fun album, but there is A Lot happening the whole time and not always in the most interesting way. i liked Egg Man and Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun a lot, but by the time it got to the medley at the end i was kinda over the whole thing.

kakisto

A joyous listen.

yeah

man this sucked i do not enjoy the beastie boys

bangers after bangers. we are up to something. i like how some samples just suddenly hits you in the face like a track. the fun is unpallaleled. what a fucking bop (way better than lincensed to ill) 5/5

Mycket kul album! Ett minus är att man blir lite trött innan det är slut

THE ELECTRIC CITY! Grymma då gamechanging beats framförallt! Kanske egentligen är en trea till hur nice det är att lyssna på idag, men ger det en fyra för sin inverkan på så mycket som det här banade vägen för.

Kaxigheten, kreativiteten! Så lökigt och coolt samtidigt! Skulle vilja ge den ett tredje varv och bara sitta med texterna. Älskar The End-sampeln!

Har alltid charmats ihjäl av beastie boys. De har tramsbyxorna på, men vilka mästerliga beatmakare! Otroligt bra och smakfullt samplat och så jävla kul att lyssna efter små detaljer i kollagen. Letade sig in några sekunder Ramones bland all gammal funk, och anade en kortis av sweets ”ballroom blitz”. ”When I’m 64”-samplen i ”the sound of science” är genial. Känns som en revansch för medelklass-vit, livsbejakande och dekadent larv-rap efter den pissusla Malcolm McLaren-skivan. ”I’ve got more stories than jd’s got salinger” är en så ljuvligt kass line. ”I was makin records when you were suckin your mothers dick”. Va?

Tog knappt en halv låt innan jag blev less på deras rap. Det instrumentella är bra dock.

Det går inte att lyssna på för stackars, stackars Dino.

Massa snubbar som turas om att skrika i micken. Din tur! Min tur! Din tur! Sexigt omslag. Och albumet låter exakt som man trodde. Två.

haha asså det var väldigt svårt att vara säsongsdeprimert till detta soundtrack

Referensfest! Allt från Jimi Hendrix och Jack Kerouac till sagan om Rapunzel? Hon med långa klätterhåret. Roliga texter överlag. Funderade på om den här stilen att rapa dog ut men visst kan man ändå höra spår av detta hos Slim Shady? Lätt att göra narr av deras rap men samplingarna skojar man inte bort! Den där från Beatles sitter fint

When you take a bunch of wonderful things, put them together, don’t include anything not wonderful, and sprinkle it with wonder, you get something wonderful.

The flagrant disregard for copyright is legendary enough before even getting to the music

Album #12: Paul’s Boutique - Beastie Boys Genre (according to Wikipedia): Hip-hop, sampledelia Singles?: Hey Ladies, Shadrach Have you heard any songs from this album or group before?: I have heard this album once before. Thoughts?: I like the production a lot, I’m a big fan of sampledelia, but I’m not a fan of the lyrics so much. I’m sorry if I am a disappointment for not liking hip-hop too much, especially with the lyrics. Sometimes I wonder if I need to just bite my tongue and deal with it. Anyways, I love hip-hop productions. The delivery doesn’t bother me, I just feel like rapping is more like poetry than a type of live singing. It could just be me though. Favorite songs: Shake Your Rump, Egg Man, Hey Ladies, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun* As a writer, what would you use this album for honing your craft?: If I had to, the sampledelia would inspire me to write city types of scenes. Scenes in cities. No file correlations.

One of my all time, absolute, mega, complete and utter favourites. Read the lyrics to 'Eggman', then listen to the tune and try and tell me that these guys were not operating in a different dimension. Absolute scenes. This and '3 feet high & rising' are the two records which define the moment of the explosion of sampling - and show what could have been possible without the crackdown. Damn shame.

low 5 it is sik. i like the ones with the beatles samples

Yeah

My opinion on the beastie boys remains the same, the sound is fine. The rapping just is not for me, I get it pioneers of white rap, but like what does that mean?

Not the hangover album I needed. Lots of screaming on great samples, but it sounds too alike, and in the end felt like my stomach

Decent music, not too shabby, oldschool but not exactly my type but still a decent listen 4/10

Another one I hadn’t fully listened to before despite knowing a few tracks. Rap isnt my favorite genre but this is … not just rap. It’s innovative and funny and rock and the samples… it’s a blast to listen to. Doing 3 stars only because it’s not my favorite genre and I know there will be a lot more albums to come. Will it be in my regular rotation? No. Am I glad I know it? Yes.

This is kind of an overwhelming album, it goes in many different directions and the layering is very dramatic. It's maybe too much and too diverse to be a repeat listen but there's no denying it's electrifying and deserves to be returned to.

Sample game is fire but I just don’t like their rapping tone

At first I thought this was just not for me, but it ended up winning me over. I will need to come back. This must be The Lonely Island’s biggest inspiration. Also, very cool to hear some Beatles in The Sounds of Science.

I respect it as landmark album in hip-hop, but it's really not my cup of tea and it got so annoying I couldn't finish it.

The amount of ADHD running through this record is astronomical. The influence on 100 Gecs cannot be overstated. I loved the backing tracks and samples! Such a feat of creativity. The vocal delivery and flow did get old after a while, but not enough to distract me from everything there is to love here. Early on in listening I was like, y’know this kind of sounds like Le Tigre. Then I remembered that Kathleen Hanna is married to Adam Horovitz.

Like the Beastie boys, like how they completely changed things up on this album, the growth is unreal, 4 Star

Had to take 2 runs at this…’not for me.

The samples are SO GOOD. How do you even come up with mixing all these different elements together??

I don't have anything nice to say.

The Beastie Boys have such a unique sound. I have never listened to one of their albums before, just what they play on the radio. My preference for rap leans towards what can be understood and this was very enjoyable to jam. The music videos were SO 90s.

Decent but not for me

Die Beastie Boys aus den USA nahmen „Paul’s Boutique“ 1988–1989 überwiegend in den Mario C’s Studios in Los Angeles auf, ergänzt durch Mixes im Record Plant und teilweise Aufnahmen in Home-Settings, dem sogenannten „Opium Den“. Das Album bewegt sich im Genre des Alternative Hip-Hop und zeichnet sich durch eine dichte Sample-Collage aus Funk, Soul, Rock und Jazz aus, die fast alle Instrumentals prägt. Besonders bekannte Stücke sind „Shake Your Rump“, „Hey Ladies“, „The Sounds of Science“, „Shadrach“, „Johnny Ryall“ und „Egg Man“. Die Produktion der Dust Brothers gemeinsam mit den Beastie Boys sorgt für ein vielschichtiges Klangbild, das experimentell, detailreich und bewusst eigenständig wirkt. Die Texte sind verspielt, stellenweise ironisch und verschachtelt, was das Album anspruchsvoller macht als den Vorgänger. Bei Erscheinen war der kommerzielle Erfolg geringer, doch heute gilt „Paul’s Boutique“ als Meilenstein des samplebasierten Hip-Hop und als einflussreich für viele nachfolgende Produktionen. Musikalisch ist das Werk ambitioniert, stilistisch innovativ und bleibt relevant für Hörer, die kreative Sample- und Produktionskunst schätzen.

If you're not on board with the vibe of "nursery rhymes rapped by the whitest men on the planet" you probably won't enjoy this. It's camp, goofy and surprisingly clever.

I got their debut album a week ago, so I got a little burnt out whilst listening to this one around halfway through. I don't think it's as strong an album as that one anyway, but it's still decent.

Some shite on there but I mostly enjoyed it,

good individually but repetitive overall

Not their best work

I really like the production on this album, but I’m surprisingly not that keen on the Beasties delivery. This is firmly the era of Beasties I never quite got, and listening to this now, that hasn’t changed.

I have had the misfortune of listening to total tripe as part of this album generator, but I’ve never genuinely considered turning one off - until now. This was horrendous, from start to end.

This, in general, was less enjoyable for me than the previous Beastie Boys album the album generator gave us, and I'm not sure why. I did enjoy playing spot the sample again, with 5-Piece Dinner being one of the most random examples of that: Shucking The Corn from the Deliverance soundtrack? Sure, why not. Plus The Beatles, The Isley Brothers, Curtis Mayfield, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Chic... But overall, I liked Ill Communication much more. The vocals, which have always been whiny-shouty didn't annoy me there, but I found them grating on this album. This feels like a 2.5 but I'm going to round up because I enjoyed the sampling.

Saved Tracks: Hey Ladies, What Comes Around 2.5*

I'd give the album a 5 or 6...good energy, some hilarious lyrics, chill at times and some killer grooves too. Highlights: Shave Your Rump, Egg Man was my favorite...loved the energy and vibe also found the chorus production really cool! High Plain Drifters was chill but gets the head nod going. Loved how heavy Looking Down the Barrel is, awesome guutar line and a great transition into Car Thief. Overall an easy listen, didn't feel much need to skip songs which is always a good sign.

Solid baseline in Speed King, love it. Part way thru Flight of the Rat, he’s beating on that keyboard like its a rented mule lol. Most of the songs possess that signature distorded keyboard. Can see why that put them with led zepplin and black sabbath as the “unholy trio” with this album. Goes pretty hard.

This was a great album, super fun wordplay on awesome beats!

Paul’s Boutique will be my final Beastie Boys album to review, and looking at the track listing, I don’t think I’m familiar with any songs on here. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it on my other reviews, but I think the only Beastie Boys album I had listened to in its entirety before starting this project was Hot Sauce Committee Part II, which I wasn’t really wowed by. I was really hoping I’d fall in love with at least one of the Beastie Boys albums that I was going to review, but that has yet to happen. I like the Beastie Boys, and I think their music is fun and clever, but I think I’ve learned that they’re one of those artists who I love certain songs of theirs, but their whole albums just aren’t my thing. I don’t have high hopes that Paul’s Boutique is going to break this trend, but I’ll keep an open mind. I wouldn’t say I fell in love with Paul’s Boutique, but I can definitely say that this was a fantastic album, and it’s easily the best Beastie Boys album that I’ve listened to. With other Beastie Boys albums, I would find myself getting bored for stretches, with their vocal delivery eventually just wearing me down. That wasn’t the case here though, as this album was full of some really incredible samples that kept this album incredibly fun and interesting. The funk and soul samples worked particularly well, and hats off to The Dust Brothers for some excellent production work on this album. One of my favorite things about Beastie Boys songs is their catchy and clever lyrics that are often filled with some great pop culture references, and I was delighted to hear some of that on this album as well. I think my favorite lyrics on this album were either “Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair, So I can climb up and get into your underwear” or “I got more flavor than Fruit Stripe gum.” The Rapunzel line is a bit misogynistic, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t crack me up. As far as the Fruit Stripe gum reference, I guess it’s technically true, since they didn’t mention how quickly that flavor dissipates. There were a lot of other references and lines that I liked, and I’m sure I missed quite a few as well. Oh, I almost forgot about the Donald Trump reference on “Johnny Ryall.” I really hate living in a world where that guy is still relevant, and I’m sure Ad-Rock and Mike D probably hate it too. I had some notes on the individual songs, but I think I’ll skip posting that, because there really wasn’t a bad song on the album. The mooing cow toy sample on “The Sounds of Science” was a low point, because that was annoying as hell, but it was still pretty brilliant and clever. As far as my favorite sogns on this album go, I’d have to go with “Shake Your Rump,” “Egg Man,” “High Plains Drifter,” “Hey Ladies,” and “Shadrach.” Again though, there’s really not a bad track on here. I don’t know that I’d listen to this album again, because it’s not really the type of thing that would draw me back, but Paul’s Boutique is a masterclass on fun and inventive hip hop.

Hip Hop is not my genre but .... the rhymes and references in some of these tracks are genius. I have to give kudos to FindLyrics for allowing me to read along, to fully understand what I was hearing. The classic cultural references pulled into thoughtful (though shouted) poetry makes me wonder how in the world these men string together such lines and rhymes. Am I a convert to hip hop, nope! Did I enjoy this one example? yep! Listened before? N Saved some tracks? N Favorite tracks? High Plains Drifter ⭐⭐⭐ Liked it, saved no tracks

I know some Beastie Boys but none of these songs. Some fun rhythms and tons of great samples. The bird is the word! Ballroom Blitz! Extremely unexpected banjo! Star Trek reference! Listened before? N Saved to library? Y Favorite track(s): Shake Your Rump, Johnny Ryall, The Sounds Of Science, Hey Ladies, Shadrach ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it. Saved a bunch of tracks.

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Honestly theyre really weird i love it Havent finished the album but will defs go back to

It's ok. After a couple songs the rhyme scheme and cadence is to repetitive and predictable. It's not for me

Why’s this first song so damnnn quiet. Reminds me of the intro to my album that drives me fucking insane lol. Driving around in my CAR This album got me feelin like a STAR 3.5?

I took like 5 days to listen to this because I just kept stopping. The beastie boys just ain’t my thing, reparative rhyme scheme and style, always rhyming on that damn four. Aware it’s a stylistic choice to sit the vocals way in the back with that signature verb- I’m not into it. I don’t like the space it creates in the mix. Speaking of the mix, I find it pretty uninspiring and flat. Songwriting is decent. But I feel like every song sounds the same on this one. Few interesting beats but even with an interesting beat the vocal performance is the same. I’m not trying to moralistic but I just don’t enjoy listening to the repeated misogynistic lyrics. Yeah yeah yeah it was the time all that, context yada yada. But I just don’t enjoy it. Perhaps the production was unique at the time, but seems overplayed in 2025- and not that interesting to me. Three dudes taking turns yelling at you from different corners of the room. They got hits but I don’t recognise anything on this record.

This is iconic beastie boys. old school hip hop. Not really my favorite but it's iconic.

Trop énervant

Way better than I always expect it to be. This might rise to the level of a new guilty pleasure.

It’s in my blood to love this one - another easy 5

The sampling creates cool moments and I also love the little pieces of rock. However I find the rapping really annoying. I kind of got used to but the listening experience was still unpleasent (not in an intentional way).

Ok album, not as good as other albums

One of their best !!

this shit was super cool to listen to i liked the sample flipping and it was hard not to get lit listening to it

So fun got this on red cassette when it came out loved it. I remember it didn’t sell well and Gavin and I going to White Oaks Mall and him finding the CD in the long box for $2.99 pretty sick so many highlights I really love the B boy bouillabaisse at the end. Hey ladies, this is a fun record.

This was never going to be a favourite but it’s not as bad as I expected.

Pretty sure Beastie Boys are the most mischievous, inventive, creative hip hop group ever. Alone the silly samples they pulled into the songs (e.g. High Plane Drifters) deserves 5 stars. Then their evolution from "Licenced to Ill" where they suffered from too early stardom and endless touring to this album was incredible. Listened to this a few times but forgot how fun and diverse it is. Only downside is that it doesn't have a real killer song - that's maybe why it flopped. Still the most easy 5 stars I ever gave.

This is enjoyable, atmospheric, nostalgic, and hugely influential. Unmistakably Beastie Boys, and despite it not containing any of their mega-hits is consistently very good.

Just not a beastie boys gal. Some gems in there but not something I ever seek out.

Not the biggest Beastie Boys fan, but this was a fun listen.

So wild how they went from Licensed To Ill to this. Production/samples are bananas, but the rapping is also on point.

No me interesa ni lo más mínimo

Licensed to Ill hit my white suburban life like a ton of bricks when I was 12 years old. I had a rap group with some friends that lasted a whole DAY. This though, this album that hit when I was full-on 15 years old, pasty and pimply? I didn't know it came out. Nobody played it. I didn't encounter it until well into college, when Ill Communication came out to massive airplay. People were like, sure this is good, but have you heard Paul's Boutique?

My all time fav BBs record

Not their best

Shout out to Taskforce

Gah-- I'm just not hip enough anymore. I didn't find much enjoyment from this album except that it was "fun". Ehhhhhhh......

The Beastie Boys are timeless, and their sound as rap and comedy music is on point. I enjoyed this album but the Beastie Boys themselves aren't really my sound.

Loads of variety, loads of fun.

This was a shocker. Granted, when I read it was the Sgt Peppers of hip hop, that probably already biased me more positively. But when this album came up I was immediately disappointed. I historically don’t like the Beastie Boys. This album surprised me, in a good way. I still Probably won’t seek out listening to the Beastie Boys per se, but I did enjoy this and might even listen again!

goooood

3/10 Top track: Shadrach

Perhaps the best Belen of rock, Lo fi and rap, this from a guy (me) who really can’t abide most rap. So take that with a grain. Either way, this record proves that BB’s were real.

Liked it. Theres nothing like Beastie Boys in the industry and that's what makes their style unique IMO. 4/5

Classic album for all the reasons everyone says it is. Some of the best production of any rap album ever, thanks to the Dust (now Chemical) Brothers. The combination of Beasties juvenile (but entertaining) lyrics don't always jibe, but they were skilled and every song is different enough within their framework. There are seams, but overall, there isn't anything quite like this album. But wait, the 1,001 albums list doesn't include Check Your Head?

It seems like quite inventive hip-hop. But I was still bored. There weren't enough tunes. The best moment of the album is the sample of a Beatles song.

Ended up looping this by accident. Fun!

I like recognising the samples but not much of it is music I'd pop on again.

Fun. Very Tarantino-esque. Is that a thing?

Fun

The second half is a lot better when they're allowed to sample some great songs.

My least favourite Beastie Boys so far. I like a couple of songs but this one did not do it for me, unlike some of the others.

Good eclectic mix of samples, lots of shouting vocals and funky riffs. Some good humour, this was a lot more enjoyable than expected. I'd never heard this stuff at all, and will be listening again and possibly deep diving into more of their material properly

Man, this is so much fun. The sample of "The End" in "The Sounds of Science" is inspired. The Dust Brothers suited the Beasties way more than Rick Rubin did.

Was very excited when I saw this pop up but man it wasn't for me. Maybe this album didn't land or maybe I'm just not as big a Beastie Boys fan as I thought.

A perfect record that took sampling to a whole new level.

az előző jobb volt tőlük

"There's more to me than you'll ever know. I got more hits than Sadaharu Oh!" (From "Hey Ladies")........."Mello Like Jello, Cool Like Lemonade"....."Like Sam the Butcher brining Alice the Meat, Like Fred Flinstone Driving 'round with Both Feet"........ Favorite songs are "Hey Ladies", "Egg Man" (which has a sample from Friday's album), "Shake Your Rump", "High Plains Drifter" and "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" I know this will get some low rankings from the group but i own and LOVE this album. I have owned this album since 1989, and i listen to it regularly (about once a month). Prior to having to give royalties for sampling, Beastie Boys has roughly 300 samples on it. if you listen closely, there is a "Superfly" sample. there is also The Band, Beatles, Commodores, Sly and the Family Stone, Donovan, Pink Floyd, Zepplin, Alice Cooper, Ramones, to name a couple. Every time i listen to it, i seem to hear a new one. another tidbit on the album. The cover is the corner of Ludlow and Rivinton st in the lower east side of Manhattan. The album was so influential, NYC passed a proclamation in 2022 (i think) that the area is now officially known as Beastie Boys Square.

This was an unbelievably fun album to listen to! The sampling and music writing was incredible. The "singing" is so incredibly unique, you know who it is right away. The lyrics are awesomely awful but fit the goofiness of everything so well. Probably the only rap album I will ever enjoy.

The best I can say is I actually listened to all 53 minutes. The worse I can say is I listened to all 53 minutes. Not my cup of tea.

Too many of their songs sound the same. However, there are some whimsical lyrics. I think you either like this band or not. I also believe they really made a career based on one really good song, “you have the right to party”.

Where is the cleverness? This album felt like 75% saying names, lacking the musical spark I love from the Boys.

Dope. 4/5.

The Beastie Boys try to actually rap this time, and its good???? Them white boys were moving different back then...

Downright awful. WTF.

Banger after banger. So glad they followed up that juvenile first album with this. The following 2-4 records are even better.

8.5/10

What an album.

Classic. Full of those charming lyrical verses and tons of excellent sampling. Really loved it

"i wish this review was for this trio's first album... which i would give five stars to... they started out playing punk rock... and evolved into "rappers"... the first album was GREAT... it was hip hop, yet still Rock and Roll enough for it being accepted by just about everyone in the early 80's... they should've stopped there in my opinion... this album... like the rest of their stuff after the first record... is mainly noise... and taking itself/themselves WAY too seriously... that it is cited as being the catalyst for making multi-layering of samples an "artform", makes me dislike it even more... One Star."

one of the boys better outings

I heard the style, and did not miss the point.

4.5- really good album. It only loses out on a 5 from me b/c of that last 12 minutes.

I couldn't get into this. It just did nothing for me. Yet I like License to Ill.

This is almost more funk than hip hop. Love the funkiness.

Good stuff, diverse and fun.

Despite their hits, have just never really been into them or the whole genre...

I got tired of the shtick after 10 minutes

There's some absolute bangers on here, particularly High Plains Drifter and Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun. But however inventive and adventurous the boys' sampling might be, hip-hop of this era has a tendency to sound rather "flat" to me, lacking the richer and more melodic basslines and samples that evolved later in the genre.

Sounds like a garage band, my definition of mindless rock

I was interested by the sound at first, but it never really developed and the vocals/lyrics never interested me. I can rock with hip hop, but this seemed mindless and too punky for me.

Me esta ayudando mucho esta mañana a despertar del todo. Me encanta la energía que tienen, como juegan entre ellos, con el ritmo... el desenfado que se percibe en la mezcla de estilos. Funk, hip hop, rock, reggae... Me da vibes de teenage angst, podria estar sonando perfectamente de fondo en alguna escena rompiendo cosas sin importar las consecuencias. Me encanta también el uso de samples, y eso que estoy segura de que no he reconocido casi ninguno

it’s a vibe. not something i’d choose to listen to but i appreciate the history

15/11/2025 For some reason, I've got a lot of time for the Beastie Boys. Like them a lot. Spotify listeners: 7.4 million

As far as hip-hop goes, BB are probably still on of the best instrumentalny speaking. Diverese sounds, great rythm, keeps your attention all the time. Vocals are possibly little scuffed on the mix in this album, sometimes hard to comprehend the lyrics. The words themselves are hard to fully grasp and appreciate after one listens, but them seemd fine, funny. Decent album, one I probably won't be returning to much, maybe missing some of the cool factor of the most known BB songs.

I like some Beastie Boys songs, but none of them are on this album. Not a fan of this one.

great album, everything works well together

All bangers, no mash. Beastie Boys at their finest.

Discazo. Clásico. Divertidísimo. La producción es una locura no tiene ningún sentido los mil samples que usan y lo que van variando y evolucionando los temas. B-boy es el vibe completamente. Siempre en mi equipo.

its the all time ballad

On track 5 now, High Plains Drifter. Musically, I like this album a lot but the old school hip hop lyrical delivery hasn't aged well in my opinion. Overall, it is a decent record but I'm still not a big fan of old school hip hop.

I’m not big on these guys, but I liked this one better than the last one I heard.

Beastie boys at 0800? Yes please

cinco estrelas do tico

Was a good album. Nice introduction to old-school rap

Second album des BB après 'Ill Communication' (2/5), un des rares album de Hip-Hop que j'ai noté au dessus de 1/5. Les morceaux sont un peu moins répétitifs que dans la grande majorité des autres disques de Hip-Hop que j'ai pu écouter sur ce site (c'est le 47 eme album que je subis). J'ai donc tenté de l'écouter jusqu'au bout. Pas de bonne surprise instrumentale comme sur 'Ill Communication', mais une presque punk/rock ('Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun'). Globalement l'album est donc assez varié, ce qui le rend plus supportable (+1). =>2/5

good

Despite the lack of major hits, aside from Shake Your Rump and Hey Ladies, this album is catchy and easy to groove to from beginning to end. 4/5

I can never tell which Beastie Boy is on the mic. Incredible sampling

Oh hell yes

great blast from the past

Not my personal favorite Beasties album, but probably their most important one. They abandoned the ironic frat boy rap/rock of their debut (which much of their fandom didn't realize was ironic) and, with the help of the Dust Brothers, produced a sample-heavy masterpiece. Chuck D says that when Public Enemy heard it, they realized they needed to seriously up their game.

Beastie Boys imo nie mają sobie równych w kategorii hip-hopu. Białe chłopaki, wokale z wosku, teksty łobuziarskie bardziej niż gangsterskie, a mimo to nie sposób przejść obok nich obojętnie. Mega charakterystyczne brzmienie, które z jednej strony jest nie do podrobienia, a z drugiej strony przywodzi na myśl Public Enemy, gdyby jego członkowie byli biali i wychowali się w rodzinach z artystycznej klasy wyższej. Paul's Boutique to chyba najmniej hitowy album Beastie Boysów, nie ma tam żadnego z ich największych hitów, większość ludzi zna utwory z "Licensed to Ill" i "Ill Communication". A mimo to ten album jako całość to jest BB w najbardziej artsy wydaniu. Sample, beaty, teksty - same perełki. BB to od dawna zespół, który mega cenię, ale tego albumu słuchałem pierwszy raz. Teraz już wiem, czemu stał się kultowy wśród miłośników hip-hopu i sampli.

There is something uniqe in their music and you can't help by be captivated by their charm. What a beasts. What a boys.

terrible

Not my kind of music, but I can still hear that it is well made

A fun listen!

Another one of those albums that does nothing for me.

132/1001 Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ I do appreciate the use of samples that make this a much more compelling listen than the delivery of the vocals. This is the second Beastie's album for me so far on this challenge and (sorry) I'm just a bit underwhelmed...

Was a good time, funky choices were made I liked the science one and with the backup singer

Stupid like a fox

Awesome beats. Can appreciate there wasn't really anything like it before. The rapping was OK but I did struggle to make out some of it.

It's among their best

The Beasties can do funk, and it's on full display here. Great album, with so many great grooves and hooks. I put this at the top of a list of great albums by these guys

sehr schöner old school saftige bässe MIKE ON THE BEAT

slay, not my thing though

Outstanding. Total masterclass in layered, literate sampling by the Dust Brothers. The vocals bring slightly less energy but so much more art than Licence to Ill. This is their first "grown up" record.

I know it’s an iconic album but maybe you had to be there at the time. Did enjoy there being a song about Shadrach Meshach and Abednego 🤣

Perfect album. Couldn’t be created today due to cost of sample clearance

I liked the style of this album. I'm a fan of the Beasties, and even though this didn't have their biggest hits, I like the production on the album.

Classicone, ce l'ho fisico. Non il mio prefe ma bello.

10/10

classic sound, great album

Style rap rock je kiff bien notamment 2 sons

I'm still discovering old songs that are sampled on this album many years after the fact. Absolutely dense and brilliant production on this one. Lyrics are silly and dumb but also clever at the same time. A masterpiece.

I get the crossover stuff on Licensed To I'll, but this doesn't appeal at all. In the parlance of generations too old to appreciate it, it's just noise.

My kind of rap.

4.0 Hip Hop classic from three Jewish boys from the Bronx. Timeless and classic.

Not exactly my cup of tea, but endurable anyway

Great use of sampling - the "shouting" helps me get stuff done!

I will never not give Beasties 5 stars. Pure hip hop

Pretty sick samples and beats. Content and rapping is eh. It is growing on me, but I don’t think it deserves a 4 yet

I found this to be pretty boring and annoying. Started off ok though.

Enjoyed the music and samples but not the style of vocal delivery. Got better at the end with the Bouillabaisse section though - quite liked that.

wasn't feeling it

What even was this?!

Fine. I am not big on the Beastie Boys. Don't hate it. They've a very distinct style, and nothing jumps out at me like I need to 'listen to that part again' after listening to the album.

If I have learned something from this list is that I *don't* like the Beastie Boys... It's been 3 albums by these guys already, can we stop?

A huge leap forward for the group on this, their sophomore effort and in turn, a leap forward for hip hop. Beats stuffed with samples and soundbites, a technical achievement as well as artistic. The Beasties rhymes have grown as well, still silly and macho but more clever and thick with entendres and references. To me, its nice to re-visit this one since there is always something more to notice.

Tidlig.

Sick vibes

Always on every playlist

Not as polished as they eventually became, but their defining style is definitively there!

não é para mim :/

This is one of the big beasties albums though not sure I've ever heard it. Definitely is a prime example of them. Generally like the vibe though not sure I recognised any of the tracks. Felt like they became a bit more polished than the debut which felt even more tongue in cheek. Didn't wow me but it was good, 3.5.

I greatly enjoyed the B-Boy Bouillabaisse section - innovative sampling and clear lyrics. The rest was much of a muchness. A lot of the choruses are the same few words shouted in different tones. As much as I liked the latter half, I can't give more than a 3.